Wildfire
by Gaara's Plaything
Summary: Gaara is on an important mission when he is captured by the local savages. But he's going to find out that not everything is what he'd thought it was in the first place. GaaSaku. Rated M.
1. Savages & Sakura

**Hey! Look what I came up with! There's two acts in this, since each act is quite short. I'll probably keep that up the whole way through. This thing is nearly finished, anyway, so I'll have the next chapter (two acts again) up soon. But not too soon. A couple of days, maybe, just whetting your appetite for this! (Hopefully) Anyway, enjoy!**

**I don't own Naruto.**

_**Wildfire**_

**Act One – Savages**

They were pushing themselves hard to get through the forest before nightfall. Dangerous creatures lived in these woods, and everyone knew better than to be caught in there after dark. That is, everyone but the Wildfire. At least, that was what everyone called them. The Wildfire was an entire primitive civilisation living in and around the treacherous woods, and they made a habit out of confronting the nocturnal creatures that dwelled there. Most people called them crazy and savages, staying well clear of them. The only ones who didn't were the ones who simply didn't care enough to let the thought of them cross their minds.

Sabaku no Gaara was one of these. While he didn't care what a bunch of lunatics got up to in the middle of a dangerous forest, he did care that right at that moment he and his men were stuck in there while dusk was fast approaching. The threat the wild animals and such posed to him and his team was something that was very real, and if they didn't pick up the pace, they were going to be something's dinner.

It didn't look good, though. They'd left it too late to return to their own village, which was in a great desert. They'd been on a reconnaissance mission to gather information about another village that was rumoured to be preparing to declare war on them. Their trip had proven this, and now they were returning with important intel that would probably end up saving hundreds of lives.

Naturally, the wild beasts weren't the only problem. They not only didn't want to run into the deadly creatures, but they also didn't want to run into the Wildfire. Not many people who were found by the odd tribe ever saw their homeland ever again. It was believed that they didn't trust people not to tell their secrets to others, as if anyone would really care. But it was because of this that they were generally avoided, and they seemed to like that fact quite well.

Suddenly a roar sounded from up ahead, and all four of the travellers stopped. A beast. This was not good. The sound had come from directly in front of them; the way they needed to go. Gaara cursed under his breath, and turned to his men.

"Go around the damned thing," he told them. "I'll make sure you get through."

"But Gaara-sama!" one of them exclaimed. "You have to get back to the village! Temari-sama will be livid if you don't return!"

"You know very well that the scroll is more important!" he snapped. "I'll be fine! You wouldn't be! So get your ass moving before I throw you through!"

All three men paled slightly, but saluted and moved through. Gaara went towards the beast, determined to make sure that it didn't go near his men. He had his sand, so he knew he would be fine. As he closed in on the creature, he began to hear a new sound, one that was like chanting. A sinking feeling went through him, and he just knew that it was probably one of _them._

The sound of their chanting was close, too close. They were probably nearer than he'd originally thought, and Gaara made the decision to get the hell out of there. His men would be fine, he knew. With the beast distracted by the Wildfire, it wouldn't go anywhere near his men. So he moved around the sounds of the chants and began to leave. But it seemed that it was just not his day.

Out of nowhere he could suddenly see what was going on, and he froze, jaw hanging open in shock. The beast was not really a beast, it was a group of people making the noise. What the hell was going on here? Did this mean that there really were no beasts? But even as he thought that, he knew it to be untrue. A lot of normal people had seen the creatures of the forests themselves. These guys were probably just mimicking the animals or something. They were probably doing this to lure one in.

Nevertheless, there was no way he wanted to get caught up in anything these savages were doing and he turned around, feeling confident that they hadn't spotted him just yet. If fortune was on his side, he would remain unnoticed and continue on with them none the wiser. But it seemed that today was not the day for fortune to smile upon him.

He found himself surrounded by a large group of them, and they were wearing ceremonial masks. One of them approached him and he noticed that this one was wearing the most ornate one of the lot. Gaara refused to let any of the sudden nerves he was experiencing show as the one right in front of him eyed him up and down.

"This is the one," came the muffled voice from behind the mask, and before he could react, whoever it was began chanting and he slowly fell into a deep sleep. (848)

**Act Two – Sakura**

Waking with a groan, Gaara struggled to clear his sleep-fogged mind, only to snap his eyes open in panic. _Sleep? _He'd been _asleep!? _Sitting up, he tried to reach inside to find out what had happened with his demon, but found that he couldn't reach him. What the hell was going on here? Shukaku should have gone on a rampage while he slept, and yet he couldn't sense any residual chakra from the tanuki.

Looking around, he saw that he was in a crude hut, but he was surprised to see a few modern-looking things lying around. Like the radio on the table next to where he slept. He tried to stand up, and it was only when he failed that he noticed that he was being held down by chakra restraints. So he was a prisoner then, he surmised. A restraint lay on each of his wrists, and they made it impossible for him to do more than sit up.

Tentatively he moved his arm, wanting to see what would happen if he tried to take it past the bed he was in. Gaara winced as pain shot through his left arm and he lay back, realising that he wasn't going to get anywhere. His actions had probably alerted someone that he was awake, though, and this was proven a few moments later when someone entered the hut. Looking over, he was a little surprised to see a girl about his own age (which was seventeen) coming towards him with a bowl in her hand.

She smiled at him almost shyly and placed the bowl on the table beside him. Gaara took the opportunity to study her, and found that he liked what he saw. Her figure was slim, yet he could see strength in her movements that told him she was trained to fight. Definitely well developed, if the curves that she had were any indication. But what really stood out to him was the fact that her hair was a cherry blossom pink.

She looked over at him then, smiling shyly once more. Now he could see her eyes, a vivid shade of emerald.

"You must be hungry," she spoke, and he shivered slightly at her melodious voice. "I brought you some food."

"Why am I being held prisoner?" Gaara demanded.

Her eyes widened, an innocent look in them. "You aren't a prisoner!" she told him. "You're our honoured guest!"

"Then why am I bound?" he growled.

"For your own protection, of course!"

...

"What?"

The girl's head lowered and she looked away before explaining, "We had to seal your demon better to get you here. But it's not complete yet, so you have to remain bound until it's done."

She looked at him again, smiling once more. "Don't worry," she told him. "The High Priestess will be here soon, and she'll fix everything, you'll see!"

The girl's enthusiasm seemed a little over the top, but Gaara had met people like her before, and they were usually the brainwashed sort. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Sakura," she told him, then held the bowl out to him.

Looking at it, he realised that there was food in it. At the sight of the food, his stomach growled and Sakura let out a little giggle. She reached into the bowl and pulled out a piece of fruit, handing it to him. Carefully he sniffed it slightly before deciding that it didn't seem to be poisoned and he took a bite. It was the most delicious thing that he'd ever eaten, and he wanted more. Sakura seemed to understand this, and she gave him the bowl as she sat down on the bed next to him.

When he was done, she pulled a water pouch from her side and he drank eagerly, ignoring her giggles at his actions. Gaara simply finished what he was doing and then glared at her. But she remained unaffected by it, and he repressed the urge to sigh. He lay back on the bed, trying to ignore the way Sakura was looking at him and decided to ask a few questions.

"Why was I brought here?" he demanded.

Her eyes went wide and she said, "That's not for me to say! You'll have to ask the High Priestess!"

Gaara frowned, and it deepened when Sakura giggled again. Then she did something unexpected. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"Get some sleep, Gaara," she told him. "You don't need to fear your demon anymore."

She stood and left the room. Reluctantly Gaara lay back and closed his eyes, allowing himself the luxury of drifting off into sleep. The last coherent thought he had was; _how the hell did she know my name?_

**I'll give you a little hint about these Wildfire people. Think the 'Others' in Lost, only nicer and stuff. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that, cuz if you did, you should review. See ya!**


	2. Priestess & Temptation

**Whoops! I actually meant to put this up yesterday, but oh well. Anyway, here's chapter two, better known as Acts Three and Four. Enjoy!**

**Don't own Naruto.**

**Act Three – Priestess**

When Gaara woke once more, he found that he was no longer bound. Relief washed over him at the lack of shackles and he sat up. He hated anything that bound him, since it was a painful reminder of his past. Often when his father had felt that he'd 'misbehaved', he'd have him bound in a special room where he could beat him without his sand being able to protect him. They were definitely _not _pleasant memories!

As he stood, the door to the little hut he was in opened, and he looked up, a part of him expecting to see Sakura. But instead it was two others that entered, and they motioned for him to follow, which he reluctantly did. Once outside, he realised that they were on the mountain that was inside the forest, and he could tell that it was the caldera of a volcano.

Where they were was beautiful, though, and he could see for miles. Uninterrupted forest lay before him, and in the center was a lake larger than any he'd seen before. It seemed to be an untouched paradise. He was so caught up in admiring the view that he forgot about his current dilemma until one of his 'escorts' poked him to get his attention. Gaara glared at the man, but all the guy did was indicate for him to go in a particular direction.

They led him to a clearing where several people stood waiting, the most prominent of these in a throne-like seat that was facing him. The person was dressed in an ornate robe with multiple decorations and wore a mask like the ones he'd seen at their little 'ceremony'. His escorts motioned for him to move forward so he did, until he was only a couple of feet away from the 'throne'.

"Greetings, Sabaku no Gaara," the 'leader' said, their voice muffled by the mask.

"How do you know my name?" he demanded as the figure stood.

"Your coming here was foretold long ago, demon carrier," whoever this was spoke as they came a little closer.

"How do you know _what_ I am?" Gaara asked, remembering that Sakura, too, had mentioned the demon.

"We know everything." the person said. "We are the guardians of all knowledge, after all. I know that we are regarded as savages by the outside world, but that suits our purposes just fine."

"And what purpose is that?" he demanded, curious despite the fact that they may still kill him for what he'd seen.

"We do not share these things with outsiders!" another masked figure snapped at him. "How dare you ask that!?"

"Peace, Ikkou," the main figure said. "He is simply curious."

The person that Gaara was really starting to suspect was a woman, just from the way they moved, turned back to him. "It is indeed as he said, though. We do not share these things with outsiders."

"Then why am I here?" Gaara demanded, and he could have sworn that she (he was still convinced it was a woman) smirked at him from underneath that mask.

"You are here because you saw too much," she said. "And naturally because of that, we cannot let you go."

There was more to it, he knew, something that she wasn't saying. "Are you the High Priestess?" he asked, and she nodded. Well, that was something, at least.

"There is more," she admitted, "but that is for another time. For now, I will have someone escort you to better accommodations. Sakura, perhaps. She seems to have taken a real shine to you."

Sakura had taken a shine to him? Gaara wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. The girl was prone to giggles and had the potential to be quite annoying. But she was quite cute, he admitted to himself. That was a bonus.

"In the meantime, you will return to the hut you were in."

His two escorts led him back, and Gaara found himself back at square one again.

**Act Four – Temptation**

It wasn't long after he was escorted back to that damned little hut that Sakura came in, smiling.

"Hello, Gaara!" she greeted cheerfully. "Ready to go to your new home?"

His new home? Suna was his home. Despite everything, he still hoped to be able to go back to his beloved desert, even though a part of him knew deep down that he probably wouldn't see it again. Inwardly grumbling, he stood up and followed the cherry haired girl outside. Sakura didn't seem to notice his attitude, and she skipped ahead of him. He groaned inwardly. The girl was _skipping!_

More people were out than before, and Sakura stopped to greet every single one of them, making their 'jaunt' unnecessarily longer. The people greeted her warmly, and Gaara had the distinct impression that everybody loved her. And she knew them all by name, too.

"Hi Nijino! How are you today?!"

"Oh, Eisuke, I'm glad that those spots seem to have cleared up!"

"Hey Junpei, how's the family?"

And it kept on this way until they reached their destination, which, when he turned around to see how far they'd come, could have been reached a whole lot more quickly than it had been. As Sakura led him into the new hut, Gaara was expecting more of the same from inside, but he was quite surprised when he entered. The place was more like a proper house, and as he walked around, he noticed that it was set up like any other house anywhere else in the world. There was even a TV!

Sakura turned to him, a big grin on her face. "You like it?" she asked, and he nodded. "Good, I'm glad! Now, I'll show you where your room is, and mine too!"

Gaara's mind froze. _Her room?_ Did that mean...? She turned to look at him once she realised that he wasn't following her and she gave him a funny look.

"What do you mean, your room?" he asked, allowing a little of his frustration to seep into his voice.

But Sakura only smiled. "I mean, my room, silly!" she told him. "You have to stay with someone, you know. No one is allowed to live alone, except the priests and the warriors!"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along, taking him further into the house. "Ok," she said, "this one," she indicated the first one on the right, "is my room. The next one," on the left, "is the main bathroom. We'll have to take turns. And then this one," at the end of the hallway, "is yours! Any questions?"

Yeah, when could he leave? But he didn't think that he'd get an answer if he asked that one. Sakura showed him the rest of the house, including a section that was subterranean that left him impressed. Suna had subterranean as well, mostly because of the heat. Here, Gaara figured it was to conserve space. Not that there wasn't much room. These people just didn't seem to want to intrude on their surroundings too much.

Sakura cooked a grand dinner that night (Gaara was still getting used to the fact that 'savages' had modern conveniences) and afterwards, they sat by the fire and she asked him questions about his life, that innocent but slightly air-headed look in her eyes. When they were done, she stood, yawned and bid him goodnight before going to her room, leaving Gaara alone on the couch with his thoughts.

These people were really not what they seemed to be. Why were they hiding themselves like this? Did they really not care how the rest of the world viewed them? Another thought occurred to him. What did that High Priestess mean when she said that they were the guardians of all knowledge? That was a mystery he had absolutely no clue how to solve. He caught himself up on that thought. Why the hell would he want to solve it?

Growling, Gaara got to his feet and headed towards his 'room'. He noticed that Sakura's door was open slightly and light spilled out from inside. Not knowing why, he stopped and looked inside. What he saw made his heart beat faster and his breath catch in his throat.

The cherry blossom girl stood there, naked as the day she was born, and she was looking right at him. Not a trace of embarrassment was on her face as she stared at him, her eyes begging him to come to her. He stepped back and turned away, but not before he caught the flash of disappointment that crossed her features. Fighting inwardly with himself the whole way, Gaara went to his room, closed the door and threw himself on the bed, cursing himself for having gotten into this situation in the first place.

**So, I've realised that I want to fix a few things up in the next two acts, but it's no problem! I should still have it ready in two or three days, so you guys review, ok**


	3. Intermission & Insanity

**Hi there! I know I said that this was nearly done, but I had an epiphany for it, so I deleted a bunch of what I had and started again. Well, kinda. I've kept what I've already posted. I'd basically been winging it when I wrote it, but now I've got a little bit more of a defined plot than before.**

**I don't own Naruto, but I want you to enjoy this.**

**Act Five – Intermission**

Temari was _not _a happy camper. Her brother was missing, having vanished in the woods near the savages while getting his team back. Dammit! She paced back and forth, chewing her nails as she tried to calm herself down. After all, it wasn't like one could just waltz into their territory and not risk the consequences. It was just that she'd never expected that Gaara, of all people, would fall victim to their ways.

He was supposed to be _here_, in Suna! Instead, he was lost to them, possibly forever! No! She couldn't let that happen! But what was she supposed to do? Declare war on them? The risk of entering the forest was known to every single person. Why was this any different? Because he was her brother, dammit! It _was_ different! Gaara was important to the village, and not just because of his tanuki.

Ever since Naruto had knocked sense into him, Gaara had become a staunch defender of the village. The people loved him now, and he would have been leading this village, except for the fact that Temari was the eldest. Sure, she could abdicate in favour of him, but when she'd mentioned it to him, he'd refused, saying it was her job to lead, not his. She sighed. What the hell was she going to do without him?

Finally tired of simply pacing, she grabbed her fan and headed out the door, intent on finding Kankurou. He was probably over at the council chambers, still negotiating with the merchants that were looking to trade with them. Being in the middle of a desert, Suna didn't really have much to trade, but about a decade ago, a rather large copper deposit was found, and its existence had immediately improves their revenue and economy.

As she suspected, she found her brother ensconced in a meeting, and as leader of the village, she felt perfectly within her rights to interrupt, so she did. "Kankurou!" she yelled, startling everyone in the room. "We need to talk! Everyone else, OUT!"

Everyone practically fled, and Kankurou tried to sneak out with them, but Temari spotted him and caught him before he could escape. "Ahh! Whatever it was, I didn't do it!"

"I never said you did anything you baka!" she snapped at him. "Now shut up! We've got to figure out what to do about the Gaara situation!"

Kankurou relaxed visibly. "Oh, that," he said. "Well, what can we do? He did technically invade their land, and besides, even if we went in there after them, anyone who's ever gone in there to get them in the past have never found any trace of them. They vanish when someone is trying to find them."

"Well, we'll just have to pretend that we're _not _looking for them!" Temari said.

Kankurou shook his head. "Won't work, Tem," he told her. "They'll still _know_."

Temari glared at him, then stomped out of there in a huff. Kankurou considered going after her to calm her down, but he knew that wouldn't work. Besides, now that Gaara was in _their _hands, all they could do was mourn the loss of their little brother. Still, at least they still had each other, and that was something at least. Sighing, he stood and left the room, noticing with a scowl that all the merchants were gone.

Back to square one with the negotiations, unfortunately. Why the hell did Temari have to stuff up perfectly good negotiating? Sure she was leader, but as leader, she had to realise that there were certain things that were more important than whatever her latest whim was. Not that she was flighty or anything, but she tended to let her heart rule her head, and that wasn't always the best way.

In most respects, Gaara would have made a better leader, since he never let his emotions get in the way of a decision. It was just another reason to miss his presence. Their little brother had a way of making Temari seeing the logical side of things. Kankurou knew that _he _was no good at that, since he admitted (to himself only) that he wasn't serious or... mature enough to help in that manner. All he had was a talent for arguing, which Temari out to good use in negotiating.

Kankurou spotted one of the merchants from earlier and sighed. One down, a bunch to go. He made his way over to the man and began the arduous task of rounding them up so that they could get back to arguing over the cost of pig fat.

**Act Six – Insanity**

He'd been living here for five days now, and Gaara was slowly going crazy. Again. But it was for a different reason, this time. This time he was being driven insane by a cherry haired beauty who didn't seem to be able to sit still, except when she slept. And then, she tormented him in a different way, by sleeping in the nude with her door open. Every night she went to bed before him, and every single night he had a perfect view of her smooth and sexy body.

He swallowed hard, not liking the way he was feeling just thinking about Sakura naked. It was proving to be quite difficult to get the image of Sakura's flawless figure out of his head. After the first time, she'd acted like nothing had happened, but he'd seen that she hadn't like that he didn't go into her room with her. Even though he was sorely tempted. But he'd never... he wasn't... In any case, this was something that he was just going to have to deal with.

Now, however, he wasn't feeling like he was dealing with anything. Gaara sat rigid in his seat as he watched Sakura move around the kitchen, naked. She'd come out of her room a moment ago, saying something about water, but he hadn't paid any attention once he realised that she was still naked. It was one thing when she was in her own room, but out here? The girl was insane, and coming from him, that was saying something!

Belatedly he realised that Sakura was saying something to him. "Gaara? Are you ok? You look like you're spacing out."

Gaara snapped to attention at the presence of the girl before him, and almost wished he hadn't. Right in line with his eyesight were a pair of the most perfect breasts he'd ever seen, and despite his basic inexperience, he had seen some, enough to compare a little. Sakura knelt down in front of him and he had to lower his gaze to meet hers now.

"Are you ok?" she asked again, and he shook his head.

"Why are you out here naked?" he demanded, and her face fell.

Sakura looked away and whispered, though he could hear her clearly, "Just because you don't want me, doesn't mean I have to be ashamed of my body."

...

...

WHAT!?!?

She thought he didn't want her? But he was holding himself back because he didn't want to... But why would she... How the hell was he going to get out of this without upsetting her or getting into trouble? Gaara sighed, then swallowed a lump of guilt when he saw a tear fall along her cheek.

"That's not what I meant," he said, and she looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. "And I _do _want you."

Her eyes widened. "You do?" she exclaimed, then practically wailed, "Then why didn't you come to me that night? Why have you been torturing me with your rejection if you _do_ desire me?! I've been going insane, thinking that you thought I was ugly or deformed!"

"I've never thought that!" Gaara assured her. "Sakura, you are beautiful, and anyone who says otherwise is either wrong or a liar!"

Sakura's eyes widened and she burst into tears, flinging herself at him as she bawled her eyes out. A little hesitantly, since she _was _still naked, he wrapped his arms around her and held her as she wept. It took awhile, but eventually her cries died down, and she snuggled even closer to him, making him _more _uncomfortable than he already was. It was really hitting a certain spot in him that he was holding a _naked _girl in his arms.

"I don't understand," she murmured. "If you did want me, why didn't you come to me? It's why we're living together, after all."

Gaara stiffened suddenly, and Sakura raised her head to look up at him. "What?"

"What do you mean, it's why we're living together?" he asked as calmly as he could.

She looked at him like he was stupid, and he nearly lost his patience with her. "Sakura!"

"It's the tradition with my people," she told him. "When someone reaches the age of seventeen, they are paired up with someone, whether someone from their tribe, another tribe or an outsider. I think that outsiders call it marriage."

...

...

Wait, they were married?

**Well, surprising little twist, and it's probably cheesy and clichéd, but I couldn't resist! Anyway, the next act is going to be in Sakura's POV, and that should prove interesting. Review, please!**

**Oh, by the way! Tell me who you want the High Priestess to be. I've got a few ideas, but I'm not entirely sure yet which one to go for. The choices are, Tsunade, Konan and Sakura. I'm kinda leaning towards Sakura, but I'm not sure. Let me know what you think, I'm too torn to make the choice objectively. Oh, and do you want a lemon next chapter? Your choice.**


	4. Marriage & Destiny

**Another new chapter! How good am I? (Ok, swelled head! I need something to soothe it. A cold pack or a hot one, maybe?) Anyway, enjoy!**

**Warning! Lemon!**

**Naruto stuff isn't belonging to me!**

**Act Seven – Marriage**

"We're married?"

Sakura nodded. "This is how we arrange liaisons," she told him. "How do they do that out there? I haven't actually studied that kind of thing yet."

"What kind of thing?" Gaara asked.

"Interpersonal relationships," she told him. "I've studied music, dance, art, science, literature, mathematics, geography, language, mythology, medicine and history," she was counting them on her fingers, "but I've still got such a long way to go."

She shifted on his lap and felt him stiffen slightly. Was he still going to reject her, even after he told her that he desired her? Sakura wrapped her arms more securely around his neck. She'd never thought, in all her seventeen years, that when she received her bond-mate that she might have to seduce him so that the union could be consummated. With all her knowledge and the position that she held in this village, it was something that she'd thought would come to her automatically.

Maybe she'd turned him off with the slightly immature way she'd been behaving. But it had been so much fun! She hadn't been able to act like that since she was last a child, when she was seven. The last ten years had been nothing but learning about outsiders and more, as well as preparing for her responsibilities to her village. From birth, she'd been chosen to be a leader, her part in the prophecy determining that she would be bonded to an outsider. And not just any outsider, either.

"You really do desire me?" she asked her bond-mate.

"Sakura, I already said that I do," Gaara told her, and she could tell that he was trying to reassure her.

"Then prove it to me," she whispered, leaning in to kiss him.

Sakura gasped when Gaara scooped her up in his arms, standing up and striding purposefully to the nearest bedroom, hers. She held onto him, suddenly deliriously happy as he dropped her onto the bed, following her down. She wrapped a leg around him lightly as he straddled her, her hands already working at his clothing so that he would be naked as well.

Immediately he began kissing her with a passion that showed her just how much he desired her, and she wondered why he'd been holding back. His hands roamed her body, and she felt a shiver of delight run through her at the sensations he was causing. Oh, Kami, she'd been waiting for this! Ever since she laid eyes on him, she'd been thanking her lucky stars for her destiny. If this was what giving in felt like, then she wanted to stay in this heaven forever!

Once she'd rid him of his clothes, Sakura proceeded to rub her body against Gaara's, delighting in the fact that he hardened immediately. She gasped as he rubbed his length against her, the friction causing a warm clenching sensation to form in her gut. His hands were working their own kind of magic on her, and everywhere he touched, he lit her on fire. But suddenly it wasn't enough, she wanted him inside of her.

Moving both of her legs up securely around him, she pressed herself against him in a way that left no doubt about what it was that she wanted from him. He got the hint and shifted slightly, his tip brushing over her folds, causing her to shiver in anticipation. Desperately she arched towards him, then gasped in shock as he plunged into her, breaking her maiden barrier. All the pleasure disappeared and was replaced with pain as Sakura gripped him fiercely.

Gaara had frozen in place, looking down at her with concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked thickly, and she shook her head.

"It hurts," she moaned, and he slid his hand along her side.

"It should stop soon," he told her. "I won't move until you tell me it's alright."

Sakura nodded and held onto him as if her life depended on it. Soon, she realised Gaara was right as the pain started to fade. Experimentally she shifted against him and felt the pleasure begin to return. He moaned as well and shifted, her reaction to this being to gasp at the sensation it caused.

"Better now?" he asked, and she nodded.

He moved out, then thrust back into her, and she gasped, her hips moving up to meet him. Gaara set a pace that she easily matched, and soon they were moving together, push and pull, two halves reunited as one. Pressure kept building inside of her until it burst and she experienced her first orgasm. Riding her high, she was vaguely aware that Gaara was following her and just before she passed out from the pleasure, Sakura felt something warm shoot up inside of her.

**Act Eight – Destiny**

When Gaara woke, he found himself wrapped around his pink haired wife. That was something to get used to, the fact that he was now married. It wasn't something that he'd ever thought would happen to _him. _He was, after all, a demon container. Who in their right mind would want to love him? Looking down at Sakura, he figured that she was really his only shot at that kind of happiness.

The thing that would make him truly happy would be for him to return to Suna. As much as he wanted to go hime, he knew that he wouldn't leave without Sakura, and she probably would never leave her home here in the mountain. Still, at least he had something that he wanted. Tightening his grip on his mate, Gaara closed his eyes and once again fell into a deep slumber.

When he woke again, he was alone, and looking around, he couldn't see Sakura anywhere. Getting out of bed, he grabbed his pants, which had fallen to the floor who knew when, he left the room, intent on finding her. But when he did find her, she was deep in discussion with another villager. Creeping closer, he listened in on their conversation.

"...so that's what they've decided," the stranger was saying. "Each village's High Priestess must be at the central complex by noon tomorrow to receive all the necessary information."

"Than you, Gouki," Sakura said. "I'll be there. In the meantime, there are things that you need to do."

Gouki bowed deeply. "Of course," was his reply.

Sakura sighed. "So," she said. "Playtime's over, huh?"

"You never really had any playtime," he said. "Ever since you began your training, you've never been able to relax, have you?"

"No," she admitted. "But it was nice, to be free again, if only for a short time."

"Have you brought your bond-mate up to speed?"

"No. I haven't been able to. We only consummated our union last night, and you know the rules. It's our duty to maintain them."

"What? Only last night? Sakura, shame on you!"

Sakura smiled weakly. "It's my fault," she admitted, and Gaara shifted slightly, wondering what she was blaming herself for now. "I should have told him that much at the start, but when he didn't come to me straight away, I was ashamed."

They were silent for a moment, and Gaara was about to reveal his presence when Gouki said something that shocked him. "I hope that you're already pregnant. It would be good for the prophecy to start being fulfilled now."

Sakura smiled fondly at him. "You Baka," she remonstrated. "That happened the moment Gaara was conceived, and you know it."

Gouki shrugged. "Whatever," he said. "I should go, now. See you later, Sakura."

Once the other guy was gone, Sakura surprised him when she said, "You can come out now, Gaara."

Moving out of the shadows, Gaara went to his bride, his expression demanding answers. She sighed.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I wish I could have told you these things sooner, but I had to wait. It's our law."

"So, you're not really a flighty, giggling girl?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she said again, and he pulled her close.

"It's alright," he told her. "Just please, tell me everything."

Sighing, Sakura pulled away from him, grabbing hold of his hand and leading him to the couch where they both sat down. She kept hold of his hand and began fiddling with his fingers. She seemed to be mentally preparing herself to speak, so he waited. Finally, she spoke.

"You aren't really here because you saw that ritual thing," she told him. "A long time ago, a seer foresaw a time of great strife. He saw so many people die, and he was distraught over the senseless deaths that he saw. He spent many years looking for a way to stop it, and when he found it, it came from someone else's vision, his daughter's. Ramika, our first High Priestess.

"She had a vision, made a prophecy. She told of a great warrior who would be born of the Wind, but be a wielder of Sand. She knew that he was the only one who could prevent what her father had seen. She even knew his name. It's you, Gaara."

**Sooo, that's weird. That must mean I'm weird too, since it came out of my brain. But that's ok, as long as it's the good weird. Anyway, hope you liked it and will review. See ya!**


	5. Prophecy & Revelation

**Another new chapter! Technically, these things are two chapters in one, so really it's two new chapters. Not the point though. Enjoy!**

**Don't own Naruto.**

**Act Nine – Prophecy**

_Ramika was not happy. Her father was pushing himself too hard, she was afraid that he would break. All of his searching for a solution was wearing him down; he was pushing away those who loved him. Already her mother and her brother had gone, and if it weren't for the fact that she knew someone had to look after him, then she would have left with them. But he was her father, and she had an excellent sense of honour and duty. She would not abandon him._

_Still, it hurt to see him like this, and Ramika was having a weak moment where she was wishing that she had the strength, yes, strength, to walk away from him. Sighing, she stood and went to him, laying a hand on his shoulder in comfort. He looked up at her, and she could clearly see the worry in his eyes._

"_I'm so glad you're still here," he told her. "I know you want to leave, and I'm grateful that you haven't."_

_Ramika smiled. "You taught me the importance of loyalty and duty, father," she told him. "I would never abandon you."_

_Her father's only disappointment in her, she knew, was that she did not have the same gift as him. Her brother was the one who'd inherited their father's gift, but he refused to use it, seeing what it had done to their father. She envied her brother, his ability to see things that had yet to come. She didn't understand how he could reject it, it's who he was, after all._

_Ramika looked down and saw what her father was working on. "Are these the scrolls you mentioned?" she asked, and he nodded._

"_I know that the answer rests with these," he told her. "I know it with every fibre of my being. But I don't know how they're important! It's _so_ frustrating!"_

_Ramika looked more closely at the scrolls, wondering what mysteries these innocuous looking things could hold. They didn't seem to be very important, merely speaking of the condition of crops, and alliances with leaf, sand and... Well, that last bit was smudged, and maybe it was why her father was frustrated. He'd been trying so hard to get a vision off it, but nothing seemed to be working._

_In a daze, she reached down and picked up the scroll, ignoring her father's protests. A strange feeling swept over her and she suddenly felt like something had changed. Looking around, Ramika noticed that the house had disappeared, and in place of their belongings, there was now an open field. Two people stood before her, and they were staring at her. Ramika felt uncomfortable underneath their scrutiny, but then they began to speak._

_The words were gibberish to her, though, and once they'd finished, she felt herself pushed out of this... vision where her father waited for her. "Ramika?" he asked hesitantly. "What happened?"_

_And suddenly she understood what the two people had said and she spoke, "There is one who can stop all the things that have been foretold. A wielder of sand from the land of wind, he will deliver us all from the darkness. But he must be shown things that will be forgotten, and _she _must stand by his side. The one born with cherry blossoms in her hair. Together they will bring peace, and their children will help to shape the future._

"_Their union will be achieved only by bringing people into a pact, where knowledge must be gathered before it is lost. Otherwise they shall fail. This gathering must remain a secret, or else all will fail. But when the appointed day arrives, they must stand with his homeland and her mother's homeland, letting all secrets becoming known before that day only to his most trusted. Gaara. That's his name: Sabaku no Gaara. But I can't see hers!"_

_Ramika fell back in shock at the intensity, her father catching her before she could actually fall. She looked up into his eyes and saw tears, but he was smiling as well._

"_Ramika," he whispered. "You truly are my daughter."_

**Act Ten – Revelation**

Gaara just sat there, absorbing everything that she'd just told him. He was destined to save everyone? That sounded totally ridiculous! And yet as he looked into her eyes, he saw that she believed everything she'd just told him. Almost like blind faith. But it was just too much! How could _he _save anyone? But then something else she'd told him hit him. From what she'd said, eventually he would be going back to Suna.

Sakura was speaking again, he realised, and he forced himself to listen. "Ramika had more visions," she was telling him, "with more detail than the first one. Eventually she had the whole thing mapped out, and it was from them that our people were born. Ever since then, we've been waiting for you, Gaara. From the moment you were born, our preparations have been doubled, and when I was born, they tripled. We're ready now; all we have to do is prepare you, and then you and I will be going to your homeland."

Going back to Suna? He still couldn't really believe it. "But what about your life here?" he asked. "This is your home."

"My home will be wherever you are from now on," she told him.

Sakura leaned in and kissed him, pressing herself against him, and he knew what she wanted. Allowing her to push him back on the couch, he pulled her in for another kiss as she straddled him. Making love on the couch was wonderful, and when he reached his peak, he felt his worries disappear. But then he came back down and they resurfaced, stronger than before.

Sakura seemed to sense this, and she pulled back slightly so that she could look directly into his eyes. "Are you alright with everything, Gaara?" she asked, concern in her voice.

Gaara sat up, holding her on his lap and still buried inside her. "I don't know," he admitted, and she sighed.

"I guess it is a lot to take in," she reasoned. "But you've got time to get used to it. There's a lot of things that we have to do before we leave, and it will take awhile, I'm afraid."

"How long?" he asked.

"I don't know exactly," she admitted. "A year or two. But that's just because there really is a lot to do. I mean, you have scrolls to study, jutsu to learn. Nowhere near as much as I had to learn over the past ten years, but still, it's a lot! And I know, you're probably thinking, 'why me?' Am I right? Well... you just..."

Gaara interrupted Sakura's tirade by kissing her, then stood with her and took them back to the bedroom. For hours he pleasured her, and also showed her how to pleasure him, and when they were finally done, Sakura fell asleep, leaving him with his own thoughts.

Going back to Suna was definitely something to look forward to. Temari was probably already going crazy without him, forcing Kankurou to actually act like a useful brother. When he went back with Sakura, they would probably be surprised to see him. Who was he kidding? They'd probably die of shock! Still, they'd welcome him with open arms, he knew that.

Sakura though, they'd have to get to know her. Hell, Gaara admitted that really, _he _still needed to get to know her. Since she _wasn't_ an airhead, all he really knew was that her people loved her, and she was dynamite in bed. But a year or two? Plenty of time to get to know her. Looking down at her, he felt something stir in him, some kind of instinct, and wondered if he was starting for fall for her. Sure, they'd already done the 'sex' thing, but he meant more than just physical, and that was something he wanted.

But there was one more mystery. Shukaku. What the heck had they done to make the demon so out of reach that he couldn't even find a hint of the thing? Where was it? He shifted uncomfortably, disturbing Sakura. She snuggled closer to him, her eyes cracking open slightly.

"Gaara?" she murmured sleepily.

"What did you do to Shukaku?" he asked. "He's not simply bound, is he?"

The question seemed to force her awake and she rubbed at her eyes. "Can we talk about it in the morning?" she asked.

It was a perfectly logical request, but Gaara didn't want to wait. "No," he said. "I need to know now, Sakura. How did you seal Shukaku away?"

Sighing, Sakura opened her eyes more fully. "We didn't," she told him, and he felt a slight panic at the knowledge, but her next words terrified him even more. "We got rid of him. Shukaku is no longer inside you, Gaara. He's gone. Forever."

**Ok... So Shukaku is gone. Not explaining why, and if I can manage it, next two acts are the last chapter. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and please review!**


	6. Acceptance & Skipped

**I finally finished this, after ignoring it for so long.**

**Don't own Naruto.**

**Act Eleven – Acceptance**

The look on his face worried her. Gaara seemed to be in a state of shock at her announcement. Sakura lifted her hand to his face, caressing gently, waiting for him to come around. Eventually he looked into her eyes, and she immediately saw the question in them.

"How…?"

"It's a jutsu," she told him. "One that the rest of the world lost long before the shinobi villages were even thought of. It requires a lot of chakra, and a great sacrifice on the part of one person."

"What do you mean, sacrifice?" Gaara demanded. "Someone didn't…?"

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed, suddenly realising what he was thinking. "No one died! I just meant where the chakra was concerned! They were out for _days_!"

Repressing a yawn, she watched as her bond mate struggled with an inner battle at the knowledge of his demon's removal. He'd lived with the beast for so long, she knew it was going to be awhile before he fully accepted its absence. Until, then, she swore that she'd be there for him, letting him unburden or whatever on her. Reaching up, Sakura gently traced her fingers along his jaw which she realised was clenched shut.

"You don't have to worry, Gaara-kun," she said, blushing slightly when she realised she'd added the suffix. "Everything will be alright from now on."

He nodded, a little stiffly, but then he gathered her up in his arms as she fell back into slumber. When she woke hours later, he was gone, and slightly panicked, Sakura got up and went looking for him. She found him outside, staring at the sunrise. Wondering what could possibly be going through his head, she stepped quietly over to where he was, watching as he turned to look at her.

"I've always had Shukaku there," he told her. "It's odd to think that he's gone for good now."

"You'll get used to it, I'm sure," she reassured him. "And I'll be there with you, the whole way."

He nodded and reached out to her, pulling her to him. Sakura placed one hand on his shoulder, and the other on his head, almost in benediction. Today she would take him to see the council, and they would finally begin their preparations for bringing peace to the outside world. It was going to take more than their lifetime, but the two of them were the catalyst, and their descendants would carry on long after they were gone.

The hand that was on Gaara's shoulder came down to rest on her stomach. Sakura hoped that Gouki was right, that she was pregnant already. Whether or not she was didn't matter at this point, all that mattered was Gaara.

"I really want to return home," her mate said suddenly. "Tell me what I need to do to make it happen."

Sakura's hand came up to join to one on Gaara's head, and she thread her fingers through his hair. "Come to meet the council," she told him. "Everything will be revealed to you, and you will see what we have to teach you. I will be with you every step of the way, Gaara."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I love you, and we are destined to be together for the rest of our lives," Sakura answered simply.

"How can you love me?" Gaara demanded. "You don't really know me."

"I know my heart. We are bonded for life, and I swear that I will be there to protect you, as I hope you will always be there to protect me."

Gaara buried his face in her belly, and Sakura moved to straddle him, his head coming up as he stared into her eyes a moment before kissing her passionately. She leaned forward to kiss him, her breasts falling into his face, allowing him to nuzzle them before he took one into his mouth. Sakura arched her back as his tongue laved over her nipple, pleasure building in her.

"Gaara," she moaned, and her fingers clutched his hair desperately.

Gaara's hand moved down and she felt that part of him brush over her sensitised folds, and a moment later, his hard member was buried inside her once more. Sakura rode him, building up their orgasm as they travelled to peaks that had her head spinning almost dangerously, then lights exploded as they both came, their bliss simultaneously bringing them together.

**Act Twelve – Skipped**

"No! Bad Yuriko! Leave that alone!"

Sakura ran to her daughter as the two year old tried to run after a dog. Her little family was almost at Suna, it was just past this oasis. There were people here, utilising the life-giving waters that kept the people of the desert from dying of thirst, and the dog belonged to one of the families that was here. Gaara hadn't been recognised yet, but that was just because the cloak he wore had a hood, and in this heat, he definitely needed it.

Speaking of, her mate was simply standing there, chuckling at their daughter's antics, being absolutely no help at all! The least he could do was help her, but instead he chose to stand back and watch.

"You're no help at all, Gaara," Sakura moaned, but her plight was ignored.

"Come here, Yuriko," Gaara spoke, and their daughter obediently complied.

Sakura glared at him. "Show off," she accused.

While Sakura loved her daughter, and Yuriko loved her mother, it was a sad fact, for Sakura's point of view, that she was her father's little angel. The two of them were so close, it was scary. She could only hope that the little one she was carrying inside her now would be on her side, even the scores and such. Until then, she was on her own.

"Don't worry," Gaara said. "Yuriko loves you too. Don't you, _tenshi_?"

Sakura rolled her eyes as her daughter dutifully nodded, then returned to what they were talking about before their child had decided to run off after a dog. "You really think your siblings will like me?" she asked.

"Of course," Gaara assured her. "What's not to like?"

Sakura looked down at the ground, hiding her insecurity. She couldn't help it, she was convinced that they would hate her, just because of where she came from. People were prejudiced against her own, and even though that was going to change, she knew it was going to be a difficult and trying time for them all. Shyly she reached out and grasped Gaara's hand in hers, a small smile reaching her lips when he gave her an encouraging squeeze.

It was amazing, how easily he'd taken to the training. And now he knew as much as she did about what was to come. The nations would survive the impending apocalypse, and come out of it much better than before. Looking at all the faces in the oasis, Sakura hoped that these people, too, would accept her.

"Mummy!" Yuriko was calling her, and it was then that she noticed that someone was staring at them, pointing at Gaara.

"Oh, my god!" the person exclaimed. "Gaara-sama!"

That caught the attention of others, and soon a crowd was gathered around them, all wanting to know where he'd been all this time. Gaara answered them as best he could, saying that he was receiving special training. Then one old woman came forward and spoke to him directly.

"Temari-sama and Kankurou-san think that you're dead," she accused. "But you're here now. Where have you been training that you couldn't let them know you were alright?"

Sakura was shocked at this, and was about to protest, but Gaara beat her to it. "It was a secret location, and I was sworn to secrecy. I'm sure my siblings will understand."

The people accepted this, and they were offered shelter for the night. Later that night, Sakura was sitting with her daughter in her arms as her husband mingled with the people. He was a natural leader, and she knew that they would be fine. Yuriko was slowly falling asleep, and as she watched her mate talk to the people, Sakura felt safe that they were all in good hands, and that they would surely win.

**And there you go, all done. Reviews are welcomed. Oh, and **_**tenshi **_**means angel.**


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